University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Long Balls Lead No. 3 Tar Heels Past Maryland, 11-7
March 18, 2006 | Baseball
March 18, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - First baseman Chad Flack hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning, and catcher Tim Federowicz followed with a three-run shot in the eighth as No. 3 North Carolina rallied for an 11-7 victory over Maryland Saturday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels' (16-3, 3-2 ACC) win evened the three-game series with the Terps (8-12, 3-5 ACC) with the rubber game set for 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
With UNC trailing 6-5 in the seventh, Flack sent the first pitch he saw from Maryland reliever Seth Overby over the left field fence to plate the tying and go-head runs. Left fielder Jay Cox off the inning with a single to start the rally and followed with an RBI single in the eighth before Federowicz broke the game open with his three-run homer to left two batters later.
After hitting a season-high four homers in game one of the series, Carolina belted three more Saturday and now has 12 in its four games this week. Cox, who went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, homered for third time in the last four games and had two or more hits for the fifth time in the last six outings. Cox now leads the Tar Heels with seven home runs and 20 RBI on the season.
Federowicz was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI. His eighth inning home run was his fourth of the year. Shortstop Josh Horton was 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Flack's home run was his second of the season.
Senior Jonathan Hovis (4-1) went a season-long four innings in relief to earn his second win of the week. He allowed one run on four hits and two walks, while striking out two. After Hovis allowed a leadoff homer to first baseman Gerry Spessard, Maryland threatened in the ninth but Hovis got left fielder Wink Nolan to ground out to second, ending the game with two runners stranded on base.
Overby (0-1) took the loss for Maryland after allowing six runs on seven hits over four innings. Spessard, who drove in two runs, was one of five Terps with two hits in the game. Maryland starter Chris Baron allowed five runs on five hits and one walk over four innings.
Carolina starter Andrew Miller failed to win for the first time this season after allowing six runs on nine hits. He went five innings and struck out six against just one walk before Hovis entered to open the sixth.
The Terps scored on a wild pitch and a throwing error by second baseman Bryan Steed to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, but the Tar Heels came back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to grab an early one-run lead. Flack was hit by a pitch and scored the first run on a throwing error by Maryland third baseman Mike Murphy. Center fielder Seth Williams followed with an RBI single to center, and right fielder Matt Spencer reached on a bunt single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Horton to give Carolina a brief lead.
Maryland rallied for three more runs in the third to take a 5-3 advantage. Second baseman Dan Melvin doubled home the first run and scored on a throwing error by Federowicz, and designated hitter Jordan Wilson followed with an RBI fielder's choice to plate the Terps third run of the inning.
After Cox cut into the lead in the bottom of the inning with the solo homer to left the Terps and Tar Heels both scored on RBI fielder's choices in the fourth for the 6-5 margin that held until Flack's go-ahead homer in the seventh.
In the Carolina half of the eighth, third baseman Reid Fronk led off with a double and designated hitter Kyle Shelton reached on an error before Cox singled to left to score Fronk. Federowicz followed with his three-run home run, which proved to be key after Maryland rallied in the ninth.
Carolina sends junior righty Robert Woodard to the mound Sunday in search of its fifth straight weekend series win.
